Chiefs ink Justin Reid, move on from Tyrann Mathieu: Signing grade
The Chiefs worked out a deal to bring in Texans safety Justin Reid on a three-year contract, signaling the end of Tyrann Mathieu in Kansas City.
Justin Reid is off the free agent market and heading to Kansas City to fill some pretty big shoes.
On Monday, multiple NFL insiders including Adam Scefter reported a done deal between Reid and the Chiefs.
The 25-year-old safety who spent the first four years of his career with the Texans is reportedly getting $31.5 million over three years, with $20 million guaranteed.
Chiefs are moving on from Tyrann Mathieu with Justin Reid signing
Signing Reid might be a bittersweet moment for fans. He’s an exciting young player but he’s also a replacement for a key defensive star.
All indications are that Kansas City is prepared to let Tyrann Mathieu walk away as a free agent after securing Reid’s services.
Tyrann Mathieu is now expected to leave Kansas City after three seasons. Still just 29-years old, Mathieu was the heart-and-soul of that defense.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) March 15, 2022
On one hand, losing Mathieu’s influence on the defense could create a huge void. KC may not know the full impact of that until they get into the 2022 season.
On the other hand, Reid is five years younger than Mathieu, who will turn 30 in May. He’s also cheaper. Reid will be making $10.5 million per year while Mathieu was making $14 million and looks set up for something similar in his next deal.
Investing in Reid will allow the Chiefs to put the money they save into other positions on defense, whether restructuring players like Frank Clark or adding free agents.
Still, these are all relative unknowns. Mathieu was undeniably one of the major forces on the Chiefs’ defense during their Super Bowl run and in the last two seasons. Reid has shown plenty of potential but he’s not the player Mathieu was at 25.
Grade: B
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